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The COVID Birthday Honours: Queen recognises nurses’ professionalism in the pandemic

Nurses and midwives given special ‘COVID honours’ for 2020
British Empire Medal, one of the honours given to nurses in the Queen's Birthday Honours 2020

This year’s Birthday Honours List is expanded to reflect the challenges of coronavirus


Scroll below for full list of nurses and midwives named in this year’s
Queen's Birthday Honours Picture: Alamy

The Queen has recognised nurses’ work during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the creation of COVID awards in this year’s Birthday Honours list.

‘COVID has been stressful for everyone in different ways’


Michele Elliot

Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, divisional director of nursing for emergency care and anaesthetics, Michele Elliot, receives a COVID MBE for services to nursing during the pandemic.

Having worked to care for people injured in the 2017 London Bridge terrorist attack and the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, she said the experience of nursing in the pandemic has been more challenging.

‘I’ve worked during major incidents before and they usually last between 24 to 72 hours, so the adrenaline gets you through,’ she said.

‘COVID is much harder as it’s been over a long period. It has brought us together as we all have something in common. It’s been stressful for everyone in different ways.’

Honoured for maintaining post-registration education in lockdown

Caroline Lee, head of Northern Ireland’s Clinical Education Centre for Nurses Midwives and Allied Health Professionals, receives a COVID MBE.

She has been recognised for her fast response in ensuring all teaching sessions moved online when lockdown began on 17 March.

Ms Lee said: ‘I wouldn’t be getting this award without all of the staff who work here and the commitment and dedication they have shown over the past number of months.’

For Ms Lee, the recognition is also about a wider public appreciation for the nursing profession.

‘Northern Ireland was coming out of a fairly tough winter. We had nurses on strike. Nurses here were feeling pretty under-valued.

‘Many nurses moved out of their home to protect their families and patients. The general public have really understood a lot more about what nurses do.’

Public health nurses – timely recognition of their importance


Susan Gauilt

Head of public health nursing at the Northern Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland Susan Gault is made MBE for services to healthcare during the pandemic. She praised her team and the wider profession.

‘I am absolutely over the moon – and for my colleagues, for their contribution,’ she said. ‘I couldn’t do it without the teams around me, it’s a real boost for the staff.

‘These honours are really timely. It is fantastic that public health nursing is getting recognition in the International Year of the Nurse.’

Proud to be a leader of nurses and midwives


Cheryl Lenney

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust chief nurse, Cheryl Lenney, is made OBE for services to nursing and midwifery.

Professor Lenney was instrumental in her trust’s COVID-19 response, ensuring sufficient nurses were redeployed to help care for patients with COVID-19, and led the trust’s infection control response to the pandemic.

‘In this Year of the Nurse and Midwife, nurses and midwives have been at the heart of the pandemic response and I am very proud to lead the professions at this challenging time,’ she said.


Anne Marie
Rafferty

Damehood for RCN president Anne Marie Rafferty

RCN president and King’s College London professor of nursing policy, Anne Marie Rafferty, becomes a Dame.

She said: 'This reflects the esteem in which our great profession is held across the nation and I am deeply honoured and grateful to all those who have supported me. I look forward to continuing to serve our profession in the years to come.'

‘I wish my mum and dad were here to share this moment’


Caroline Alexander

Barts Health NHS Trust chief nursing officer, Caroline Alexander, who is made CBE, said she is fortunate to be able to influence a profession she loves.

‘I was inspired to become a nurse by my mum and it means a great deal to follow in her footsteps,’ she said.

‘Her attitude was: if you are going to do something, put your heart and soul into it. I wish both she and my dad were here to share this moment with me.’

Honours reflect the whole profession’s professionalism and dedication

RCN general secretary Dame Donna Kinnair said all nurses should feel pride in the achievements of those honoured.

‘These honours highlight that right across the UK since the start of the pandemic nursing staff have shown incredible professionalism and dedication under the most enormous pressures,’ she said.

‘From hospitals to care homes and across the community, I hope these honours provide a welcome boost to all those who have dedicated themselves to the care of others.’

The nurses named in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours


Felicia Kwaku

COVID OBE

  • Felicia Kwaku Associate director of nursing, King's College NHS Foundation Trust
  • Susan Mary Williams Matron, Royal Hospital Chelsea

COVID MBE

  • Michele Elliott Divisional director, Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust
  • Susan Gault Head of public health nursing, Northern Health and Social Care Trust
  • Caroline Mary Lee Head, Clinical Education Centre for Nurses, Midwives and Allied Health Professions
  • Sandra Connie Payne Director of nursing and care homes, Brunelcare Bristol
  • Juliana Mary Taylor Nurse consultant in urology service, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust
  • Matthew Robertson Walters Head, school of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing, University of Glasgow
  • Elizabeth Ann Waters Consultant nurse, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board

COVID BEM

  • Hannah Mary Angland Lead nurse, Integrated Community Ageing Team, Islington
  • Samantha Jane Gallagher Nursing home manager
  • Paula Jane Gallent. Ward sister, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
  • Andrea Margaret Greenall. Healthcare assistant, Royal Bolton Hospital, Bolton NHS Foundation Trust
  • Lynne Grieves Care home nurse
  • Molly Henriques-Dillon Quality nurse team leader, Black Country and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Groups
  • Clare Marie Johnstone. Head of infection prevention and control, Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust
  • Minerva Pascual Collantes Klepacz Matron of ophthalmology and BAME network lead, Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
  • Marie Therese McDermott For services to nursing in Northern Ireland during the COVID-19 response


Beverley Morris

  • Gemma Patricia McDonald. Nurse and volunteer, Newport Sea Cadets
  • Beverley Morris CHC lead nurse, Black Country and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Groups
  • Kate Elizabeth Mary Tantam. Specialist senior sister in intensive care, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
  • Winsome May Thomas Matron for quality and BAME nurses and midwives network chair, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

DAME COMMANDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE


Elaine Inglesby-Burke

  • Elaine Inglesby-Burke CBE Outgoing chief nurse, Northern Care Alliance NHS Group. For services to nursing. Ms Inglesby-Burke retired this month after a 43-year career
  • Anne Marie Rafferty CBE Professor of nursing policy, King’s College London and RCN president. For services to nursing

CBE 

  • Caroline Alexander Chief nurse, Barts Health NHS Trust. For services to nursing
  • Suzanne Margaret Eunice Banks Former chief nurse, Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. For services to nursing in the NHS

OBE

  • Carol Anne Carson Volunteer nurse, Voluntary Service Overseas. For services to healthcare


Sally Shearer

  • Jacqueline Fletcher Senior nurse adviser, Stop the Pressure programme, NHS England and NHS Improvement. For services to wound care
  • Cheryl Ann Lenney Chief nurse, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust. For services to nursing and midwifery
  • Sally  Shearer Executive director of nursing, Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust. For services to nursing
  • Sheryl Dianne Watkins Professor of public health nursing, Cardiff University. For services to nursing education and research
  • Lynne Wigens. Formerly chief nurse, NHS East of England region. For services to nursing
  • MBE


Rebecca Hoskins

  • Tracey Nichola Carter Chief nurse, West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust. For services to nursing in the NHS
  • Hilda Margaret Gwilliams. Chief nurse, Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust. For services to nursing in the NHS


Julia Hunt

  • Rebecca Hoskins Nurse consultant, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust. For services to emergency nursing care
  • Julia Hunt Former director of nursing, James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. For services to nursing
  • Susan Claire Marshall Formerly chief nurse, Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust and Queen’s Nurse. For services to nursing

  • Debra Moore

  • Una McCrann Feeding disorder practitioner, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust. For services to nursing
  • Carolyn Margaret Middleton Associate director of nursing, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board. For services to nursing
  • Debra Moore Independent consultant nurse. For services to learning disability nursing
  • Josie Rudman Chief nurse, Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. For services to nursing, patient experience and patient safety


Jean Saunders

  • Diane Marie Sarkar Chief nursing officer, Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust. For services to nursing in the NHS
  •  Jean Saunders Senior nurse, asylum seekers and refugees, Swansea Bay University Health Board. For services to nursing
  • Jane Elizabeth Viner Former chief nurse and deputy chief executive, Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust. For services to nursing
  • Valerie May Walker Former director of nursing and operations, Care for Veterans. For services to healthcare for veterans
  • Catherine Elizabeth Winfield Executive chief nurse, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust. For services to nursing

BEM


Anne Thomas

  • Margaret Ann Baker Clinical nurse specialist, secondary breast oncology, Swansea Bay University Health Board. For services to patients with secondary breast cancer
  • Hazel Lillian Nelson Practice nurse and Queen's Nurse. For services to nursing and the community in Staffordshire
  • Nicholas John Tanner Formerly lead nurse for homelessness, Medway Community Healthcare. For services to homeless people in London and Medway
  • Anne Thomas Staff nurse, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. For services to nursing

ROYAL VICTORIAN ORDER

  • Group Capt Sonia Margaret Phythian Princess Mary’s Royal Air Force Nursing Service
  • Sgt Siobhan Irene Davis Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps.
  • WO Class 1 Richard John Lazarus Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps


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